THE DAUGHTER OF THE MAZE: MAZE RUNNER
by imaginationnerdgirl
Summary: Based on the Movies: Lyra is the only girl in the Glade. She also carries a lot of secrets. Things change when a greenie is sent up through the box that she recognizes, which spells trouble for the Gladers. Can Lyra keep her secrets and save her friends? Can she solve the maze in time?
1. The Greenie

The Greenie

She was waiting with everyone else. Newt to her right and Alby to her left. The crowd gathered around as they heard that all too familiar sound of the box coming up. More supplies, a new greenie, and more blue liquid for her to drink. She glanced up at the group waiting for the box. She was the only girl in the bunch. She clenched her fists. It was cruel what they were doing to them. Finally, the box opened up, inside, among all the new supplies, was a teenager in a blue long sleeve shirt with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She recognized him immediately. Gally jumped down to help the greenie up.

"Day one greenie!" Gally said as he helped the greenie out of the metal box. The greenie fell on the ground. He looked scared and confused. The other Gladers crowded around him. She had a funny feeling in her stomach. They were poking fun at him as he was lying at the ground.

"He is going to run" She finally spoke up.

No one heard her over their screams and taunts

"He is going to run" She repeated.

Sti,ll no one heard her

"He is going to -" She couldn't finish this time because the greenie got up and bolted away from the crowd.

"We got a runner" Frypan yelled as the greenie ran away.

The group looked at the girl

"Oh, I'm suppose to go after him" She looked at the group as she turned to run after the greenie.

Her strawberry blonde curly hair bouncing as she ran. It didn't take her very long to catch up to the greenie.

"You are going to fall" She yelled at the greenie.

The greenie kept running.

"You are going to -" she tried to repeat herself but the grennie fell down flat on his face. She ran over and helped him up.

"Welcome to the Glade." She said as he stood up. Some of the Gladers took the greenie and threw him to the Pit, a three cell makeshift mud jail used to protect the Gladers from a Glader who are going through the changing.

A few minutes later Alby went to get the greenie. She went with him.

"Hey, there green bean." The girl spoke looking down at the greenie. She remember his brown hair and brown eyes.

"You are not going to run away again are you?" Alby asked as he stared at the greenie.

The greenie shook his head. Alby let him out.

"We grow our own food, we build are our shelter. The box provides some things, but everything else is up to us." Alby stated.

"The box?" The greenie asked

"Every month the box arrives with fresh supplies and a new greenie. This month that is you." The girl stated.

"Hey, Alby" Newt stated as he walked, with a slight limp, toward Alby, the greenie and the teenage girl.

"Greenie this is Newt, he is in charge when I am not around." Alby put his hand on Newt's shoulder.

"I'm Lyra," the girl stated as she stood next to Newt, "I am in charge when these two are acting like idiots, which seems to be all the time." She joked.

"Can you two go find Chuck?" Alby asked looking at Newt and Lyra. Lyra and Newt walked away from Alby and the greenie.

Newt and Lyra walked by the Gladers who were taking inventory of the box's supplies.

"Hey, Lyra" one of them shouted, "Catch." He threw a plastic bottle full of a shimmery blue liquid.

Lyra caught it, opened it and started drinking it.

"You still have to drink that stuff" Newt looked at her concerned, his voice oozed with a British accent.

"Yeah. And don't look at me like that. What if someone saw" Lyra said as she wiped some liquid from her mouth.

"Sometimes I don't care" Newt snapped back at her lovingly.

"No one is supposed to know" Lyra replied through more sips of the blue drink.

"No one will know. Remember Alby's rules." Newt replied.

Lyra stuck her tongue out at him. Her tongue had a hint of blue on it. They walked a little bit in silence.

"Look who I found?" Newt stopped walking. Standing a few feet from them was a young teen with curly short red hair, Chuck.

"Chuck, Alby is looking for you. You are no longer the new greenie. A new one came up today. He will need help settling in. That's your job now" Lyra said pointing at the platform in the tree in the middle of the Glade.

Chuck walked off toward the tree where Alby was probably telling the greenie about the rules of the Glade. Alby a while ago told her the special rules that applied only to her: Don't let the others see, who don't already know and don't spill a drop of her blood to prevent the changing.

"You ready for tonight?" Newt asked Lyra as Chuck walked away.

"Yeah. I could do without the additional noise" Lyra said looking at the large stone walls that surrounded the lush, green Glade.

"Nightmares again?" Newt looked at Lyra with a mix of concern and understanding

Lyra looked at him. She opened the bottle with the blue liquid and started drinking it again. It tasted like nothing, but it looked like her blood when she was stressed or scared.

He can't know that they returned. He would not let her in the maze again. She had to find the way out.

She saw Chuck help the greenie get his hammock made. The doors would be closing soon. She would have to talk to Minho and Ben about what they found. She waited by the entrance of the maze. The tall stone walls loomed over her. She saw the greenie followed by Chuck walk up to her. Chuck was talking about the rules of the Glade. Minho and Ben slowly ran out of the entrance.

"Chuck, I see there is a new greenie, how does it feel to be promoted" Ben stated as he ran by.

"Minho…" Lyra ran after the two teens.

She finally caught up with them a little ways off from the maze entrance.

"Minho-" Lyra started but was cut off by Minho.

"Lyra there is nothing new. No change...no progress." Minho looked into her bright blue eyes.

"I am running tomorrow. I am finding a way out." Lyra said looking back into his brown eyes.

"Suits me." Ben remarked with a laugh.

Lyra smiled, but just kept looking at Minho.

Something drew her attention away from Minho. It was the greenie. A crowd had formed around him and the entrance of the maze.

"Why won't you tell me what is going on?" The greenie looked at Alby and Newt.

Lyra ran towards the crowd and parted it as she made her way towards the greenie.

"You want to know the truth." Lyra started as she neared the greenie

"Lyra" Alby spoke in a stern voice.

Lyra just ignored it "In a few seconds this doors will close. If you are stuck in the maze when the door closes, there are things in the maze that kill you. They killed my friends. You want to risk your life go ahead. I don't know you, I don't care. But you will die. And right now we need to stick together, even if you don't want to. " She shouted at him.

As she talked the large stone doors started to close behind her. There was a thud as the doors slammed shut. The Gladers just stared at her.

She stared at Alby, then glanced at the greenie. She glanced at her palms, her veins glowed a glittery blue. She closed her hands, hoping no one saw. She walked toward her sleeping quarters; a tent, a little ways away from the rest of the sleeping tents, that the Gladers made just for her. She laid on her swinging hammock, tears rolled down her cheeks.


	2. That Night

That Night

Lyra did not come out of her tent even when Alby and Gally visited. When they tried talking to her, she didn't really listen to them.  
Gally had said something to the effect of "Alby knows what he is doing, trust him", but when she didn't respond he got up and left.

Alby had said something to the effect of, "Obey the rules of the glade, the greenie is too new to know stuff."

He was trying to be supportive but instead he came across as if he was digging for information. _Why shouldn't he know truth?_ , she thought. Alby, Newt, Gally, and Minho where the only ones still alive that knew the real truth about her and her connection to the maze. She was suppose to lie to everyone else that was the deal she had made with them.

Newt appeared at the entrance of her tent, "Are you going to join us?" he asked with a slight note of concern behind his British accent.

"I guess I have to, right? Duties and responsibilities" Lyra replied sitting up in her hammock as Newt sat sideways to her, "I could make up an excuse for you if you want."

He held her head in his hands. She grabbed his wrist and smiled at him. He pulled her closer to him and their lips met. She loved this feeling. Newt was the most important person to her at the camp. He knew her secrets and he didn't care about them.

"I love you." Lyra spoke after their lips separated

"I love you too." Newt responded moving some of her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"I think I want to go" She answered after thinking about it for a little bit.

"Good" Newt quickly let go of her head and walked out of her tent.

Lyra quickly realized what happened and ran after Newt.

"Hey, was that just a ploy to get me out of my tent?" she asked as she caught up to him.

"Yep" Newt smiled to her.

She kissed him on the cheek as they walked toward the group standing around some wood stacked. As Gally walked closer to them they separated, Lyra walking to Alby's right side and Newt stood on the left side of Gally, across the stack of wood from Lyra. Alby started to pass around long wooden stakes. Lyra held it, from the ground in reached past her head. One of the Runners came towards the group with a stake, but it was lit. Everyone took turns lighting the tip of the stake. Once all the stakes had been lit, Alby gave a look to Lyra and threw his stake toward the wood pile in the center of the crowd. After he did, the rest of the group followed suit. The group began to dance around and make drum beats. Gally started to practice fight a few of the Gladers. Frypan handed out food to the crowd. Frypan handed Lyra a bottle of the blue shimmery liquid on the wood counter next to Frypan's food as she walked up.

"Thought you would need a few tonight. They help with the nightmares right?" Frypan said handing her the bottle

"Yeah. Thanks, Fry." Lyra responded accepting the bottle and walked around a little.

The boys she past would greet her and she smiled back. She slowly drank the liquid. It tasted unbearably sweet.

"You okay?" Alby asked walking towards her.

"Yeah. the taste just got to me." Lyra answered walking past Alby.

"You feeling better?" Alby asked

"Yeah. Talking to Newt really helped." Lyra responded

"Just remember the rules Lyra. We wouldn't want others to feel jealous or angry" Alby reminded her as he walked away.

Lyra nodded as he turned away from her. She turned back to the task at hand. She looked around the different groups. She was looking for someone. She saw a head full of blonde hair resting against a log next to head with dark brown hair. She walked towards the log.

"He did just save your life" Newt stated as Lyra approached

"You both talking about Gally?" Lyra asked sitting across from them.

"Yeah" The greenie responded

"He is such a jerk" Lyra stated

Newt gave her a look

"What? He is!" Lyra stated again defensively.

Newt looked away from her and towards the greenie.

"The maze is a dangerous place." Newt commented as he looked back to Lyra.

"We are trapped here aren't we?" The greenie asked.

Newt and Lyra exchanged glances.

"For the moment" Newt replied calmly.

Newt then proceeded to tell the greenie about the Runners, Gladers who were tasked with mapping the maze. Newt looked at Lyra. Lyra knew mapping the maze was a lot easier said than done. She must have run the maze a million times and couldn't find a way out, no matter how times the maze changed.

She was pulled from her thought when she heard Newt's voice,"Nobody survives a night in the maze."

That notion almost made Lyra laugh. It was a lie she had to feed the rest of the Gladers, only a small few knew the actual truth, but Alby said that it was the best for everyone if that believed the sentiment that nobody survives a night in the maze.

"We call them Grievers..." Lyra said a little scared, her blue eyes widened

"Of course no one has seen one and lived to tell about it." Newt added, concern in his eyes has he looked to Lyra.

"Come on you are the guest honor. " Lyra said helping Newt and the greenie to their feet.

"I guess we have to show you bacon" Newt said as the three starting walking toward Frypan.

A little while later the three were walking around the camp. Newt was introducing the greenie to the whole camp. The the topic of jobs in the camp came up.

"What if I want to be a Runner?" the greenie asked

"Didn't you hear what I said? No one really wants to be a Runner." Newt looked at the greenie with shock in his eyes.

"Besides you get chosen." Lyra added.

"By who?" at the moment the greenie asked that question another Glader bumped into the greenie.

The three stopped, the Glader stepped aside revealing Gally in the center of a arena of sand.

"What do you say greenie? Want to see what you are made of?" Gally asked.

"How about we show the greenie that you are actually beatable Gally? Or are you too afraid to loose to a girl?" Lyra shot back in a semi joking manner.

Lyra knew that Gally liked her and she knew that Gally would be angry if he knew that Lyra like someone else in the Glade.

"Sure thing, Hot head." Gally answered back

Lyra hair would look like it was on fire as the evenings dragged on so Gally created the nickname for her. Lyra on the other hand didn't really like it.

Newt walked up to her, "Are you sure you are going to be okay?"

"Yeah. I have beaten Gally loads of times. You know this." Lyra responded

"Just be careful" Newt stepped away and entered the crowd encircling Gally and Lyra.

Lyra put her fists up and Gally squared himself to her. Gally started moving toward her and she pushed back. She let Gally fall to the ground. Gally sprang up and knocked Lyra down. Lyra rolled back and forth trying to prevent Gally from pinning her down and winning. Lyra swung her feet and kicked Gally down to the ground. As Gally fell Lyra spun herself up. She put her foot on his chest.

"Gotcha" Lyra said triumphantly as the crowd cheered

"See greenie it is pretty easy" Lyra said as she walked toward the greenie and Newt.

The greenie stepped up to the arena as the whole camp chanted "greenie"

Lyra stood next to Newt.

The fight consisted of some name calling from Gally and pushing and shoving. At one point the greenie managed to get Gally to the ground.

"Not bad for a greenie, huh?" The greenie said

Gally swung his legs tripping the greenie. The greenie hit the ground hard. The crowd moaned with sympathy.

"He a Runner." Lyra whispered to Newt.

Lyra knew this greenie was their ticket out of the maze.

The greenie's eyes widen with remembrance. He whispered something to himself, then stood up

"I remember my name. I'm Thomas." The greenie shouted to the crowd.

Alby cheered, "Thomas!"

Causing the whole camp to cheer, clap, and laugh. The crowd clumped together around Thomas as Gally shook Thomas' hand. Cheers echoed through the air. Lyra looked to Newt, they smiled at each other. She was happy at that moment, nothing else mattered. Until a metallic, blood curdling shriek echoed from the maze. The shriek caused Lyra's heart to freeze in fear and she bolted from the group. She ran into the wooded area of the Glade until she came across the stone wall. Memories flashing through her brain as she recited, "71526483...71526483...71526483...71526483...71526483..."

This was the only thing she knew that would calm her down. When Newt found her, a little while later, she knew her veins were still glowing a shimmery blue. Newt hugged her as she cried in his chest.

Newt brought her back to the camp as the rest of the Gladers were heading to bed.

"Get some rest you are running tomorrow" Alby told Lyra.

Newt walked Lyra to the entrance of her tent. He kissed her goodnight before going on last security rounds with Alby.


	3. Recurring Nightmare

Recurring Nightmare

Lyra stood in the sun with the grey stone walls surrounding her. She was inside the maze. Lyra followed the path. She came upon a wall covered in ivy. She looked around, she saw Newt lying on the ground. He was in pain, his leg was bloody and bent in a funny way. She tried to reach him but something stopped her. She heard the shrieking of the Griever coming closer, then she heard the metallic steps of the Griever. Lyra fought hard through the invisible barrier, but she still couldn't move. The Griever appeared as a dark green slug with little arms and four metal legs. A syringe like stinger protruded from a leg. The Griever stuck the syringe into Newt's bleeding leg. Newt let out a cry of pain. Lyra cried out of frustration. With a fire in her heart she pushed through to get to the Griever. She pulled an arrow out of the quiver on her back and attached it to the bow that had appeared in her right hand. Time seemed to be moving slower. Lyra pulled back the bow and then let go which caused the arrow to fly into the Griever, killing it instantly. Lyra dropped her quiver and bow and knelt by Newt.

"I know I can help, please Newt let me help you. I can't lose you too." Lyra cried.

"I don't want to lose you either, Lyra." Newt said weakly.

Lyra got up and started running back and forth in front of Newt. Her mother, her father, her aunt, WCKD, and their plans flashed in her brain. Lyra was worried about the shock in Newt's eyes as she stopped running and went back to him. Her veins glowed a glittery blue which caused most of her veins to be visible in her skin. She picked up Newt's knife and winced in pain as she cut her forearm. The blood that flowed from her cut was heavily marbled with thick lines of glittery blue liquid. There was more of the blue liquid than red blood flowing out. She grabbed an empty glass jar and let her oddly colorful blood pour into the jar. After a while she started to wrap the cut in some scrap cloth and handed the jar to Newt, who then drank the blue liquid blood mixture. After he finished he fainted to the floor, contorted in pain, scrambled to his hands and knees, and threw up a lot of black liquid that resembled runny black tar.

Newt then got up, but as he did the sky above the maze turned to night. The Grievers' shrieking resumed. This time there were more and the shrieking was louder. It sounded as though it was all around them. Newt held Lyra close as they saw a Griever approaching them. Then there was silence, nothing. Just pitch black silent nothing. Lyra turned and found herself alone in the nothingness. Voices in her head began to speak.

"You are the reason this is happening," a female voice spoke

"You are the cure," a male voice chimed in

"WCKD is good," a another female voice added

"Daughter of the maze...Humanity's last hope...Find the cure…" the voices blended together and repeated the same statements.

The voices sounded as though they surrounded her in the darkness. Lyra put her hands to her ears and let out a scream.


	4. Day 1248

Day 1248

Lyra bolted up from her nightmare. Sweat was streaming down her face. She glanced at her palms, as she thought blue. She took some deep breaths, trying to calm down. She noticed Minho, Ben and the other Runners waiting for her a little ways off. She put her Runner's pack and gloves on as she made her way out to them. She glanced to her right, Alby was making his way to Thomas. She smiled a little, it was a tradition for Alby to help welcome the newbie to the Glade. She glanced at the side wall, a wall she knew was covered in names. The Runners paired off. Lyra was paired with Ben, as usual. Minho went with another runner. They would run separate paths. They had been running a while when Ben looked to Lyra,

"Did you have a nightmare again?"

"Yeah" Lyra knew there was no point lying to Ben about it

"Did you tell him?" Ben asked

Lyra looked to Ben confused, "Who?"

"The one person in this Glade who loves you more than me" Ben said in a joking manner.

Ben was like Lyra protective slightly older brother. They even looked similar, both has strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. They had been friend since Ben became a Runner. He was the only other person besides Alby that knew that Lyra and Newt loved each other.

"No. I don't want him to worry." Lyra stated after a moment.

Lyra stopped, she looked at her arms. The veins in her forearms were glowing blue. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. The warning signs were too clear for Lyra to ignore.

"Ben, run!" Lyra screamed.

Lyra turned and ran. She could hear Ben behind her. She sprinted through the maze and didn't stop until she saw Minho further down a path. She turned around, Ben was not behind her. Fear and worried crept into Lyra's skin. She ran slowly back the way she came. A few times she thought she caught glimpses of the back of Ben. She followed those glimpses until she found herself at the entrance of the maze. She looked out at the Glade. Trying to see Ben, but he was nowhere in sight. She scanned the groups until she spotted someone who could help, Newt. She walked up to Newt who was with Thomas and Zart.

"The only way out of here is through the maze." Newt said to Thomas as Lyra walked up.

"Hey, Newt" Lyra said

"Hey," There was some surprise in Newt's voice, " Aren't you supposed to be running?"

"Have you seen Alby?" Lyra asked

"Not for a while, I'm afraid." Zart answered.

Newt turned his attention back to Thomas, "You want to be helpful? Dig us up some more fertilizer."

Newt threw a basket back to Thomas, who in turn walked off towards the woods.

"If you do can you tell him I need to talk to him immediately." Lyra said watching Thomas walk off.

"Sure." Newt responded, "What is it about?"

"I don't want to worry you if I don't have to." Lyra said walking off.

Lyra walked around looking for Alby or Ben. Lyra then decided to try looking in the woods. Lyra heard some fighting noises over an embankment. She saw Ben on top of Thomas, Ben was holding Thomas throat. She picked up a rock and hit Ben over the head with it. Tears streamed down her face as she helped Thomas to his feet.

"Run" She yelled at him.

She followed Thomas closely as they ran, Ben closely on their heels. Ben lunged at Thomas causing both of them to fall down the other side of the embankment of dirt. Thomas got free from Ben as they fell. Lyra was running along side of Thomas.

"Help" Lyra screamed as they neared the camp.

Lyra was sure that Newt could hear her. As they reached the outskirts of the camp Ben lunged at Thomas, causing Thomas to trip, which in turned tripped Lyra. Lyra scrambled trying to pull Ben off of Thomas as the other Gladers ran towards them. Ben didn't get off Thomas until Newt hit him over the head with a shovel, causing Ben to turn onto his back. Gally, Newt, Lyra and a few other Gladers held Ben down.

Tears streamed from Lyra's face again. _Not another friend. Not Ben._ The other Gladers were a buzz of questions to Ben.

"What happened." Frypan asked

"He just attacked me." Thomas replied.

"I am so sorry. I'm sorry… I thought he was right behind me." Lyra said breathless.

"Lyra. What happened?" Newt looked into Lyra's eyes.

She could feel the whole crowd looking at her.

"We were in the maze. I felt something with us. We ran. When I was safe I turned, but no Ben. I went looking for him found him fighting with Thomas." Lyra said really fast.

"Lift his shirt" Alby ordered.

Some of the Gladers lifted Ben's tank top up revealing a puncture wound on his side stomach. The veins were already visibly black. Lyra cried when she saw.

"He's been stung, in the middle of the day?" remarked Gally

"I'm so sorry Ben." Lyra cried as she began rocking back and forth

Under her breath she began to repeat the numbers, "71526483...71526483…"

Ben's pleas for help were too much for Lyra to bear.

"Put him in the Pit" Alby ordered again.

While Gally, Newt and other Gladers put Ben into the Pit. Alby helped Lyra back to her tent.

"I can help him. Alby I need to help him." Lyra pleaded as Alby sat her on her hammock.

"No Lyra you know the rules. If you did that others would have questions. Questions that would lead to the violence we have gotten over. We as a group cannot go through that again." Alby remarked.

Just then Newt appeared in the tent, "I don't think she should run again."

"Newt don't let your feelings for her cloud your judgement. She is the best chance we got." Alby stood in front of Newt.

"I don't want to run. At least for a while." Lyra piped up.

Newt pushed past Alby and sat next to her, "You don't have do, if you don't want to."

Newt put his arm around her and held her close to him. He knew she just lost one more person she cared about to those things in the maze.

"Newt is right. You don't have to run if that is your choice." And with that Alby left them sitting on her hammock.


	5. The Banishment of a Brother

The Banishment of a Brother

Though Ben was not her actual brother, Lyra always thought of him like one. Although many of the banishments have been hard, the banishment of Ben was the hardest for Lyra. She knew this had to be done. The Gladers crowded around the entrance to the maze. Gally, Newt, Lyra, Alby, Frypan, and Zart all held long T shaped sticks,others held pointed stakes. The rest where behind the ones with the pointed stakes. Ben walked toward them with his hand tied with rope behind his back, Minho was leading Ben by the back of Ben's tank top. Ben pleaded with everyone. Minho lead Ben right in front of the opening, had Ben kneel down and cut the ropes that tied Ben's hands. Minho then threw a sack of supplies into the maze and stepped out of the way. Ben coughed up some black runny liquid and pleaded with Minho. The doors started to close. Alby ordered for the poles. Gally, Newt, Lyra, Frypan, Alby, and Zart lowered their poles so that the blunt end of the T shape was facing Ben. The other with the pointed stakes, pointed the sharp ends at Ben. As the door continued to close, Alby order his group to move in. Gally, Newt, Lyra, Frypan, Alby and Zart slowly walked towards Ben, pushing Ben towards the maze. The kept advancing until Ben was in the maze and the doors slammed closed. Ben has been pleaded and crying throughout this ordeal. When the door finally closed Lyra could not hold back the tears anymore. She felt as though a piece of her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Alby made some speech about how the person they forced into the maze was not Ben. It didn't matter what Alby said, Lyra still felt an emptiness grow inside of her. Lyra felt numb the rest of the day. Gally or Minho knew not to talk to her. Alby tried, but was met with silence and a death stare. During dinner she sat alone.

"What is wrong with Lyra?" Thomas asked during dinner.

"Ben was like Lyra brother." Newt replied.

"Ooh." Thomas replied, he got the feeling he should stop asking about it.

Darkness had fallen when Newt walked Lyra into her tent. He turned to leave.

"Don't go." Lyra said.

"Okay I won't" Newt replied.

Newt laid down in Lyra hammock. Lyra laid down next to him. He put his arm around her and she rested her hand on his chest.

"Would you ever break that rule?" Newt asked staring up at the tent ceiling.

"Yes, I did for you." Lyra responded.

Lyra closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of Gally crossing off Ben's name on the side of the maze wall, Gladers walking around the sleeping quarters, and Newt's breathing.

"Why don't you want to run tomorrow? I mean I know Ben's banishment affected you, but you have ran after other banishments." Newt asked again.

"What happened to Ben reminded me of what happened to you when I found you in the maze. But this time I couldn't do anything. I felt helpless. I don't like that feeling. At least in the Glade I can feel helpful." Lyra said looking up at Newt.

She heard footstep approach her tent. Alby appeared at the entrance of the tent,

"We need to talk with Minho about figuring out what happened."

Lyra and Newt sat up.

"Only if you are up to it." Newt said comforting Lyra.

"Sure" Lyra said drying her eyes.

Alby stuck out his head out of the tent for a second and Minho appeared besides Alby.

"Alby and I want to check out where the attack took place." Minho said

"Um… We were by the outskirts of sector 7 still in the inner maze, but close to that sector." Lyra said softly.

"Thank you Lyra. I know this is hard for you." Minho said as he left the tent.

"Thanks Minho." Lyra responded.

"Good night, both of you." Alby said as he left

"Good night" Newt responded.

Newt and Lyra laid back down in the hammock.

Lyra heard Thomas ask Chuck, "Do you think he will survive?"

"Ben...No. Nobody survives a night in the maze." Chuck responded.

Lyra was pulled out back to Newt,"I love you Lyra." Newt said as he kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Newt" Lyra responded as she nestled her head by his chest.

He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arm around her. Lyra fell asleep in his arms, her favorite place to be.


	6. Day 1249

Day 1249

Lyra awoke the next morning with Alby nudging her. Newt and her got out the of hammock and went over to entrance of the maze, where Minho was waiting. Lyra hugged both Alby and Minho as the stone doors opened.

"Please be careful." Lyra looked to Alby

"I will. Take care of the Glade." Alby replied

"We will." Newt answered looking at Lyra

"Stay safe and keep running." Lyra commented to Minho.

Minho winked, turned, and started running into the maze followed by Alby.

Lyra and Newt turned and walked away from the maze.

Newt saw the look of concern in Lyra's eye, "They are going to make it." He said as intertwined his fingers with hers.

Lyra looked as Newt and smiled

"What was that about?" Gally yelled from a little ways away from them.

Lyra and Newt separated from each other at the sound of Gally's voice.

"Alby went with Minho to the place where Ben was stung to see if there was anything about the place that was odd." Lyra replied.

"Why didn't you go?" Gally looked to Lyra.

"Because with Alby away the chain of command comes into play, making Lyra second now and not a runner." Newt explained.

That explanation satisfied Gally, who went to get breakfast. After breakfast Lyra helped Newt, Zart, Chuck, and Thomas cut down the bottom of a dead tree. Thomas was sitting on a log taking a quick break.

They worked in almost silence until Thomas asked, "Why would Alby go into the maze?"

Lyra and Newt exchanged a glance

"I mean he is not a runner." Thomas added

"Things are different now." Newt started, "Alby went to retrace Ben's route before sundown."

"Alby is going back to the place where Ben was just stung?" Thomas asked with shock in his voice.

"Look Alby knows what he is doing." Lyra chimed in, "He knows better than any of us."

"What does that mean?" Thomas asked

Lyra was getting a little sick of Thomas' questions.

"It's like you heard, right. Every month the box comes up with supplies and a new arrival. But someone had to be first. That was Alby." Newt explained, hacking away at the tree stump, "He had to spend a whole month in the maze by himself. It couldn't have been easy. But when he saw all the others come up one after the other, he learned the most important thing is that we all have each other. Cause we are all in this together."

There was silence again. Thomas got up from the log and helped dig out the stump.

"Don't worry they will be back before lunch." Lyra added.

When lunchtime rolled around Thomas looked anxiously around at the opened entrance of the maze.

"They are just being thorough. We will be back soon" Lyra reassured Thomas.

It started raining after lunch so everyone took cover in the sheltered parts of camp, except Lyra. Lyra was nervous and like to run back and forth when she was nervous. In the rain she ran from one end of the Glade to the other.

"What is she doing?" Thomas asked Newt.

"She gets restless." Newt responded.

Newt went out as Lyra was making her way towards the middle of the Glade.

"Hey, your glowing a little." Newt commented, making Lyra stop.

He handed her a water bottle filled with the bright blue liquid with the letters WCKD on the side.

Lyra drank a few gulps of the stuff. The glowing in her veins died down.

"Come inside the camp for a while." Newt said leading Lyra back to where he, Thomas, and a few other Gladers were sheltering from the rain.

"They should be back by now." Thomas stated as Newt and Lyra walked by, " What happens if they don't make it."

"They are gonna make it." Newt said.

"What if they don't?" Thomas asked again.

Newt turned and looked at Thomas in the eyes, "They are going to make it."


	7. Bad Decision

Bad Decision

The day had grown long when the rain had stopped and the ground was dry enough to venture to the entrance of the maze. The entire population of the Glade was standing around the opened stone doors of the maze. Newt was to Lyra's right, Thomas to her left. The maze started to make cranking sounds.

"Come on can't we send someone after them?" Thomas asked.

"It is against the rules." Gally answered.

"We can't risk sending anyone else into the maze." Newt clarified.

The wind began to howl and the doors started to close, when Thomas saw Minho and Alby making their way to the entrance. However, something was wrong. Lyra saw it too. Minho was dragging Alby, who looked unconscious, towards the closing doors. The crowd started yelling at Minho and cheering him on.

"You got to leave him, Minho" Gally yelled

"You can do it Minho" Chuck yelled

"They are not going to make it" Newt said to Lyra.

Time seemed to move slower. Lyra glanced at Thomas, he was thinking about doing the exact same thing she was. In order for them to all survive she needed to be in the maze too. She reached to Newt's back pocket and pulled out his large blade. The handle was stained with a few drops of red liquid that had long since dried.

"I am sorry… I love you. I will always come running back to you." Lyra whispered to Newt.

"What?" Newt asked.

The doors were about to close when Lyra nudged Thomas to run. As she left where she was standing she could feel the fingertips of Newt trying to stop her, but she couldn't lose more friends. She sprinted closely behind Thomas into the maze. The doors shut right behind her as she entered the maze. Thomas had fallen to the ground and was trying to get up.

Minho fell to his knees, clearly exhausted, "Congratulations, you just killed yourself." He said breathlessly.

"What?" Thomas asked

Lyra rolled her eyes,"Stop being melodramatic."

She walked to Alby and examined him. Alby has been stung. There was a cut on his forehead.

"I did what I had to." Minho explained.

"Wait. What do you mean about being melodramatic" Thomas asked Lyra.

Lyra heard Thomas but was so busy to turn to him. She was examining the bunches of ivy that were growing up the wall.

"The biggest lie is that no one had survived a night in the maze." Lyra said, still examining the ivy.

"What who?" Thomas asked

Lyra turned her head to look at Thomas.

"Me." Lyra responded, she turned back to a bunch of the ivy, cleared some of it back, pulling out a quiver full of arrows, a bow and fingerless gloves with a blue circle in the palms of each glove.

"How did you know those where there?" Thomas asked

Lyra gave a look to Thomas, "I didn't enter the Glade from the box…"

"I guess I had almost just assumed you did" Thomas interrupted.

"I entered the Glade from the maze." Lyra gave a quick glance to Minho before looking ahead toward the rest of the maze, "We don't have time to stand around gawking. Come on we need to find a safe place for Alby."

Thomas and Minho carried Alby as Lyra lead them further into the maze.


	8. Another Night in the Maze

Another Night in the Maze

The sky had grown dark as Minho, Thomas and Lyra tried to lift Alby into a wall of ivy to keep him safe. The cranking of the walls changing started to scare Minho. However, it wasn't until Minho had looked around a corner did he run away from them, which caused Thomas slide toward the ivy wall. The veins in her forearms were glowing blue. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end.

"Hide" Lyra whispered

Both her and Thomas hid under the ivy. Soon they heard the clanking steps of a metal legged Griever. The Griever slowly walked by. Lyra held her breath, fighting back tears and bad memories. The Griever walked away, her glowing veins stopped and she returned to normal. Lyra and Thomas crept out from their hiding spot. They quickly secured Alby to the ivy. Lyra forearm started to glow again. They hid behind a wall of the maze. They heard the clanking of a Griever, but then silence. Her forearm was still glowing. Thomas wanted to move, but Lyra stopped him.

"It's gone." He whispered.

"No, it's out." Lyra showed her forearm to Thomas.

"What does that prove?" Thomas asked.

"It is a warning that those grievers are nearby." Lyra snapped back.

"Nearby, but not right next to us." Thomas pointed out.

Lyra could not argue with that. She just kept on her toes. They walked around for a little bit, until Thomas stepped into something pale yellow and sticky. Lyra turned around to look at Thomas, when the pale yellow sticky oozed from the sky onto Thomas' shoulder. They looked up, a Griever came sliding down the walls of the Maze. crashing almost on top of Thomas. Lyra grabbed Thomas and pushed him in front of her as they ran away, the Griever taking chase. Lyra yelled directions at Thomas as they ran. They soon reached a dead end.

"Up" Lyra directed jumping on some rocks, making her way up the wall.

Thomas followed suit, the Griever right behind them. The ran along the top of the wall until they reached the end of the wall. Across from them was a wall of ivy.

"Down" Lyra directed again, jumping towards the ivy.

Thomas stared at Lyra was she reached the ground. Thomas jumped and grabbed the ivy. The Griever jumped too. The weight of the Griever was too much for the ivy, it, the Griever and Thomas came crashing down. Thomas landed safely, while the Griever was tangled in the ivy. Lyra took that time to slice at the Griever with Newt's blade. When Lyra turned back to Thomas, Minho appeared from Thomas's left.

"You are crazy" Minho panted.

Lyra was just happy that Minho was alive. The Griever started to untangle itself from the ivy. Minho, Thomas, and Lyra ran the way Minho had just come from. Lyra could hear the Griever right behind them.

"This way, come on… The maze is changing." Minho said leading through the maze.

They reached a long pathway that was starting to close.

"This area is closing, we can lose it done here." Minho said running through the pathway.

Lyra followed suited. They waited on the other end of the closing pathway. Thomas just stood at the original spot.

"Come on" Thomas yelled at something hidden by the wall of the maze.

Lyra assumed it was the Griever.

Suddenly Thomas sprinted towards them, the Griever behind them. The doors closing as he ran. Thomas just made it through as the doors slammed closed, squishing and killing the Griever. Minho and Thomas took deep breaths. Lyra looked around, she knew where she was.

"Come on…I know a safe place to stay." Lyra said

Lyra ran through the maze followed by Minho and Thomas, until she reached a wall covered in ivy. She pulled back the ivy revealing a hole in the wall. It was dark, but somehow streams of light were getting in from above them. Lyra light a match and them proceed to light a candle. The space illuminated in a warm orange color. Thomas looked around. The space seemed to have been scraped out, it was large enough to stand in. There was a large sleeping bag laid out on the ground with several other sleeping bags on top of it.

"This is where I stayed in the maze." Lyra said.

"I didn't know this place existed." Minho mused.

"No one does. Not even Alby." Lyra answered.

This is where they stayed the rest of the night. Lyra woke up just as the dawn was approaching. The doors would be opening soon. She woke Thomas and Minho up. They made they way to where they hid Alby, got him down, and made they way to the entrance of the Maze. Before they turned to corner to the entrance Lyra hid her gloves and bow and arrows in the bush of ivy.


	9. A Morning Many Thought Impossible

A Morning Many Thought Impossible

The noise of the maze doors opening caused Newt to jolt up from his sleep. He, Chuck, Frypan, Zart and many other Gladers had slept by the entrance of the maze hoping that Minho and Lyra would be there smiling at them when the doors opened. As the door revealed the maze, Newt's heart sank. No one was waiting for them.

"Told you Chuck, they are not coming back." Newt said with sadness in his voice.

He just lost the one person he really ever loved. Lyra meant more to him, then getting out of the Glade. Newt and many of the Gladers turned and walked back towards camp. Chuck stayed at the entrance.

When Lyra turned the corner, she expected to see Newt waiting for her. She saw Newt's back walking away from her, her heart sank a little. Lyra did see Chuck in the middle of the entrance way. She saw Zart turn and walk back towards them.

"Yeah." Chuck cheered as they reached the opened door of the maze.

This caused everyone to stop and turn back towards the maze. Lyra ran ahead of Minho and Thomas, who were both carrying Alby. She sprinted past Zart, Chuck, Clint, Jeff, Frypan and the other Gladers. There was one person she wanted to see, Newt. She slowed as she neared him and gave him a hug.

"I will always run back to you." Lyra whispered into Newt's ear.

Newt held her tighter. She pulled back from him a little bit and pressed her lips to his, in front of everyone. She then turned back to help Minho and Thomas lay Alby down on the ground.

"You saw a Griever?" Chuck asked

"Yeah" Thomas replied.

"He didn't just see one…" Minho started.

"He killed one." Lyra finished.

The crowd looked at Thomas.

Gally called an emergency meeting at the large wooden structure, the Gladers called the Counsel Hall, by the outskirts of the Glade against the wall of the maze.

The leaders of the different job around the Glade,Winston, Zart, Minho, Gally, Clint, Frypan, stood at the bottom of mud stairs. Lyra and Newt were among them, representing Glader leadership. Thomas was in the corner at the bottom of the stairs, behind the leaders of the Glade.

There was mumbling from the rest of the Gladers, who were sitting on the mud steps.

"Things are changing" Gally spoke to the group, "There is no denying that. First Ben gets stung in broad daylight, then Alby. Now a greenie here as taken it upon himself to go into the maze. Which is a clear violation of our rules here."

"Yeah, but he saved Alby's life." Frypan responded.

"Did he?" Gally asked

No one wanted to answer that question.

"For 3 years we have coexisted with these things." Gally started

"Coexisted...Please Gally. Those things prey on us. They are the predator, we are prey. That is not coexistence." Lyra interrupted.

"But now the greenie has killed one of them." Gally continued pointing at Thomas, "Who knows what that could mean for us."

"What would you suggest we do." Newt finally spoke.

"He has to be punished." Gally answered.

Gally's answer caused an eruption of talking from the other Gladers.

"Minho...You were there with him. What do you think?" Newt looked to Minho

Minho was silent for a while, which cause the Gladers to be quiet.

"I think, in all the time we have been here no one has ever killed a Griever before." Minho stated

Lyra rolled her eyes, she killed many. But she didn't say anything, Alby's rules. The others must think she came up from the box just like them.

"When I turned tail and ran, this dumb shank stayed behind to help Alby. I don't know if he is brave or stupid. Whatever it is we need more of it. I say we make him a Runner." Minho finished.

This also caused an outburst by the rest of the Gladers. Lyra smiled, she knew it. She gave an i-told-you-so glance to Newt.

"If you want to throw the newbie a parade that's fine. Okay, but the one thing I know about the maze is that you do not-" Gally couldn't finish his thought because an all to familiar sound echoed across the Glade.

The box was bring something up.

Lyra, Newt and Gally exchanged glances. Lyra bolted up the steps and out of the hall, followed by Newt and Gally then the rest of the Gladers. She ran to the box entrance, Newt and Gally caught up to her. A crowd was forming around the box's doors. Newt and Gally opened the metal doors. Newt hopped down into the box. Lyra looked over the edge. There was a girl with brown curly hair lying on the floor of the box surrounded by many plastic bottles full of the blue liquid. Surprise flushed over Lyra. Lyra mumbles the number sequence that calmed her over and over again, "71526483...71526483…"


	10. A New Arrival and A Dissection

A New Arrival and A Dissection

"It's a girl" Newt said, slightly astonished by the sight.

A girl has never been sent to the Glader via the box. Lyra, the only other girl in the Glade had found the Glade while she was wondering the maze.

"I think she's dead." Newt said.

The girl was wearing a blue long sleeved shirt and blue jeans. Newt looked around the girl for anything that might explain what is going on.

"What is in her hand?" Gally asked.

Newt took out a crumpled piece of paper out of her hand. He opened it, it was a note.

"She is the last one ever." Newt read the note out loud, "What the hell does that mean?"

The girl bolted up gasping for air. Looking up at the sky with piercing blue eyes.

"Thomas" she said breathless as she fell unconscious.

The crowd looked to Thomas.

"Do you still think I am overreacting?" Gally asked.

Jeff, Clint, and some other carried the girl into the medical hut and laid her down on a cot on the other side of a curtain from Alby, who was tied down the the bed. Newt, Minho, and Lyra walked in followed by Thomas.

"What is the matter with her, why won't she wake up?" Newt asked looking to Jeff.

"Hey man, I got my job the same way you did." Jeff answered.

Newt looked to Thomas

"Do you recognize her." Newt asked.

"No" Thomas replied.

"She seemed to recognize you." Lyra said looking to the girl on the cot.

"What about the note?" Thomas asked

"We will worry about it later." Newt replied

"I think you should worry about now" Thomas stated.

"We have enough to deal with at the moment." Lyra shot back.

Clint, Jeff, Minho, Thomas and Newt looked at each other. Lyra stared back the girl, she seemed familiar, but Lyra was still unsure.

"He is right Newt. The box is not going back down. How long do you think he can last." Jeff added.

"No one said that. Let's not jump to any conclusions. We will wait till she wakes up and see what she knows." Newt stated, "Somebody has to have some answers around here."

Lyra looked away from everyone. She knew that person was her. Unlike everyone else that entered the maze, Lyra still had her memories before the maze. They had returned slowly with time and a few stings from the Grievers. She couldn't say anything, Alby's rules. Lyra just knew that they didn't have much time left to find a way out.

"Okay." Thomas said as he left the hut.

"Where are you going?" Newt asked

"Back into the maze." Thomas said leaving.

Minho and Lyra followed him out.

"Hey, Thomas." Minho called out after Thomas, catching up to him, "What is this with you, huh? A death wish? You just got out now you want back in?"

"Newt said that no one has ever seen a Griever and lived to tell about it. Now we have one. And you are not even just a little bit curious?" Thomas pleaded.

Lyra just kept quiet, Alby's rules.

"No." Minho replied.

Thomas started to walk off, but Minho stopped him.

"So what is the plan? Are you going to dissect that thing all by yourself?" Minho asked.

"I will if I have to." Thomas answered.

"Have the other Runners left yet?" Thomas asked

"The other Runners quit this morning." Minho pointed to the group of Runners talking to Gally.

Rage filled Lyra's core. _Cowards_ she thought.

"Why are you so anxious to get back out there?" Lyra asked Thomas, but she was looking at Minho.

"I think it is time to find out what we are really up against." Thomas said

Minho and Lyra exchanged glances.

"Okay, but you are not going out there alone. Meet us in the woods in half an hour." Minho replied.

"Okay." Thomas answered.

Lyra ran to her tent and pulled out a blag fold open bag. The letters WCKD were written in white along the side. She went to the medical hut again where Newt was still taking to Jeff and Clint.

"Newt I need to talk to you for a second." Lyra said leading Next out of the hut and away from the other Gladers.

"I am going back in the maze fore a little bit." Lyra said

Newt looked at her frustrated.

"I thought I lost you once today. I can't bear to think about you going back out there again. Why are you going?" Newt said holding Lyra's hands.

"I want to find out where the Grievers are coming from. Maybe that is a way out." Lyra said hugging Newt.

Newt let go of her, she turned to walk away. She felt Newt grab her wrist and spin her back to him, he pressed his lips against hers.

"Be careful." He said as they separated.

"I will always come running back to you." Lyra said looking Newt in his pale brown eyes.

She met Thomas in the woods. A little while later, Minho arrived with Frypan, Winston, and Zart.

"Will this be enough?" Minho asked

"Yeah" Thomas answered.

"Whatever I revealed in the maze needs to stay between all of us, clear?" Lyra stated.

The group agreed. With that they took off towards the maze. It didn't take long before they reached the dead Griever that was stuck by the wall. The wall hadn't closed all the way, Lyra was able to fit. She pulled out a scalpel and started cutting the Griever open.

"How do you know where to cut?" Asked Frypan.

"I know, because I created these things." Lyra answered not turning around to the rest of the group.

"What. You created this killing things?" Zart asked shock clearly present in his voice.

"No Zart. I didn't make these things to kill. I created small ones to help with vaccinations. Someone just created those same creation with a larger scale. It is not that difficult to do." Lyra answered, digging around in the Griever.

"Hey there is something in there." Thomas pointed to a blinking light.

"Yeah. That is what I am trying to reach." Lyra said reaching for the light.

As she did the leg of the Griever moved. Everyone, including Lyra, backed away from the wall.

"I thought you said it was dead" Frypan stated.

"Maybe it is a reflex?" Suggested Zart.

"You hope" Winston shot back.

"Help me with the leg" Lyra said reaching for the metal leg that had just moved.

Everyone grabbed the leg and pulled, causing the leg to detach from the Griever. Minho walked toward the blinking light. It was a silver cylindrical object with a little screen that shown 7 and the WCKD where printed on the side.

"Where ever it is can we take this stuff back to the Glade. I don't want to meet this guy's friends" Frypan pleaded looking around nervously.

"Yeah, it's getting late" Lyra chimed in.

The group headed back to the Glade. When they entered the Glade they were informed that Gally was holding a meeting for the leaders of the Glade. The group made their way to the Counsel Hall.


	11. Decisions, Talks, Runs, and Rocks

Decisions, Talks, Runs, and Rocks

Clint and Jeff where leaving as Lyra, Minho, Winton, Zart, Frypan, and Thomas filed in.

"It is nice of you to join us." Gally said getting up from the step, "You guys enjoy the little field trip?"

"What the hell Gally, you think you have have a meeting of the Keepers without us?" Minho shot back.

"The last time I checked the greenie wasn't a Keeper. Do you mind waiting outside?" Gally looked at Thomas.

"No he stays" Lyra stated.

"What is the point of all this?" Minho asked

Lyra looked to Newt, "Is it about Alby?"

Newt nodded, Lyra started tearing up.

"We got two hours before sundown, he have to figure out what to do with him." Newt stated.

"You want to banish him?" Winton asked

"Nobody wants to…" Gally stated

"Then don't. I can save him. And you both know it." Lyra said looking at Newt and Gally.

"Alby's rules…" Gally started.

"Too hell with Alby's rules. I need to save him. He wouldn't let me save Ben I have to do this." Lyra screamed through tears.

She turned away, she knew Newt hated to see her cry. She wiped her eyes and turned back.

"We found this on our field trip" Thomas chimed in handing Newt the silver cylindrical object. Newt looked it over, "This are the same letters we get on our supplies."

"Who ever put us here made the Grievers." Thomas said looking to Lyra.

Lyra and Thomas exchanged a glance.

"What does Lyra have to do with the Grievers." Gally asked looking to Newt.

"Lyra was the original creator of the Grievers." Newt said looking at Lyra, "She had sketches of them in that journal of hers. But the ones she made were smaller."

"What? What else does she know and not telling us." Gally said flabbergasted.

"Nothing. That is all I know." Lyra stated firmly, though it was an outright lie.

She knew a whole lot more than she told anyone even Newt or Alby, for their protection. She would have to tell them sooner or later, but right now She needed to focus on the task at hand helping Alby.

"Newt we got to back out there." Thomas pleaded.

Gally and Newt exchange glances.

"You see what is trying to do right. First he breaks our rules, then he wants us to abandon them altogether." Gally pleaded to Newt, "The are the only thing that have held us together, why are we now questioning them. If Alby was here you know he would agree with me. This shank, needs to be punished."

"Gally's right, Thomas broke the rules. One night in the pit no food." Newt stated

"What do you think that is going to stop him?" Gally asked.

"No and we cannot have non-Runners running into the maze whenever then feel like it. So let's just make it official, starting from tomorrow. You are a runner." Newt stated, "And Lyra try your best with Alby, we need him back."

Gally shook his head in a mix of shock and shame at Newt's leadership. He stormed out, Frypan and Winston followed after him to talk to him. Minho took Thomas to the Runners hut to talk to him. Zart, Newt and Lyra walked out to the middle of the Glade. Lyra took off her Runner's gear and set it down. Newt got out a knife and found an empty jar. Zart got Clint and Jeff. The commotion caused more Gladers to wonder about what was going on. Lyra started running one end of the meadow to the other. Voices started echoing in her head as she ran

"You are the reason this is happening," a female voice spoke

"You are the cure," a male voice chimed in

"WCKD is good," a another female voice added

"Daughter of the maze...Humanity's last hope...Find the cure…" the voices blended together and repeated the same statements.

Lyra kept running back and forth with the voices in her head. She felt her blood pulse throughout her body, a sign it was changing. She looked at her arms, sure enough, they started show the veins glowing blue. She stopped running and Newt handed her the knife and jar. She pressed the cold blade onto her forearm. She was about to make the cut when another voice rang out in her head, it was Alby's, "You pose more questions than answers, you could start a ton of violence. If the Gladers knew, war could break out."

War had broken out over Lyra and her blood, from leaders of the Glade finding out she was able to help those who were stung.

Lyra looked up at the crowd around her. Their expression ranged from hopefulness and surprise to shock and scaredness. She looked to Gally, who was staring at her angrily. She looked at Newt and shook her head. She fell to her knees crying. Newt walked up to her.

"I'm sorry. He is in my head. I can't do it." Lyra sobbed.

Newt helped her up and hugged her. Lyra cried into his shoulder. He held her closer to him. All of a sudden the girl from the box ran out of the medical hut and up the tree to the platform. Attention was turned to her and away from Lyra. Anyone who tried to get close to the tree was met with a hail of rocks. Chuck stood back laughing. Minho and Thomas soon appeared. Thomas took shelter next to Lyra.

"I don't think she likes us very much." Newt said

"Hey woah…" Lyra was having enough of this, she then remember the girl, "Teresa...Thomas is here and wants to talk to you."

The rock throwing stopped and Teresa's head looking over the edge. Thomas put a hand up.

"Just me, okay." Thomas order.

Thomas started towards the tree while the rest of the Gladers went back to their routine chores and jobs.

"Is this what all girls are like?" Frypan asked

Lyra laughed as she walked with Newt to the medical hut. The next thing Lyra knew, Thomas and Teresa burst through the medical and handed Newt two vials of a blue shimmery liquid.

"We don't know what it does or why she had it?" Newt stated after talking with Thomas.

"How could it make it any worse?" Thomas finally asked

"Alright." Newt said, "Do it."

Newt handed the vial back to Thomas, who exposed the needle on the end of it. Thomas leaded over Alby, aiming the vial at Alby's heart. Alby grabbed Thomas, "You shouldn't be here.." He repeated over and over again.

Jeff, Clint, Newt, Teresa and Lyra were trying to hold Alby down. Alby calmed down when Teresa stuck the vial into Alby's chest. Alby soon fell unconscious.

"Well that worked" Jeff commented.

"From now on someone watches him around the clock." Newt ordered.

Just then Gally appeared in the hut, "Hey Greenie, sundown. Time to go."

Thomas followed Gally to the Pit. Gally locked the wooden caged door and walked away.

That night Lyra slept in Newt's tent, which was located near the medical tent, so that she and Newt could be closer to Alby if something was to happen.


	12. Day 1251: Solving the Maze

Day 1251: Solving the Maze

Lyra awoke and kissed Newt on the forehead. She slipped out of the tent and met Minho and Thomas as they were walking to the entrance of the maze.

"If it is the way out. I'll know." Lyra said fixing her Runners' pack.

The three started running the maze to sector 7. Once they made it to sector 7, they noticed something different.

"That is strange. 7 is not suppose to be open for another week." Minho noted.

"Maybe that is where the Griever came from?" Lyra suggested.

The three wandered through the metal flaps called the blades. They found a red tank top on the ground. Lyra let out a small whimper as she picked it up.

"It's Ben's isn't it?" Thomas asked looking to Lyra.

Lyra just nodded with tear swelling in her eyes.

"Yeah." Minho replied, "A Griever must have pulled him down here."

The three stood up from examining the tank top.

The the silver cylindrical object started clicking. Thomas took the the object out of Minho pack. Thomas started turned the silver cylindrical object to different parts of the area. As the silver cylindrical object faced different area the clicking speed changed. Thomas turned back to where the silver cylindrical object as clicking the fastest.

"I think it is showing us the way." Thomas stated.

Thomas started to follow the clicking noise, while Minho and Lyra followed Thomas. They entered a long passageway, with a drop off on either side. This felt familiar to Lyra, She had been there before. She looked down, there were scratches in the stone that she remembered making to find her way back.

"I know this place." Lyra gasped.

Minho turned and gave a look to Lyra.

"What?" Thomas asked clearly confused by non-verbal conversation that occurred between Lyra and Minho.

"Lyra had to have entered the maze through somewhere." Minho started.

"If I can find where I entered, we can find our way out." Lyra finished.

As they walked toward a stone wall, the lights on the silver cylindrical object turned green. The stone wall rose up, followed by three more walls lifting up. They exposed a large circle hole in the wall.

"Are you sure about this?" Minho asked

"No." Thomas replied.

They started to walked towards the hole. As they reached it, a red light blinked, then scanned them quickly, then shut off just as quickly. A loud metallic clanging sound echoed through the area. Gears sounded as though they were moving.

"We have to get out of here." Thomas stated.

"Give me the key." Minho pleaded.

Thomas threw Minho the silver cylindrical object. Minho put it into his Runner's sack.

The three ran back the way they came. This time part of the maze were falling in on itself, like it was closing up part of the maze. When they reached the bladed, the flaps were closing, making escape practically impossible. Other parts of the maze crashed down around them. Lyra was reminded of the puzzle boxes her parents would give her to solve when she was with them at their labs. They all barely made it out of the section before their escape route was sealed up.

The other Gladers were waiting for them at the entrance of the maze when Lyra, Thomas, and Minho came running into the Glade.

"What the hell was going on out there?" Asked Newt concern in his voice.

"What did you do now, Thomas?" Complained Gally

"We found a new passageway, might be our way out!" Thomas answered.

"A passageway I recognize." Lyra stated looking at Newt.

"Hold up. A brand new passageway. How can you recognize that?" Frypan asked.

The Galders fell silent, clearly they had been wondering the same question.

"I didn't come up with the supplies." Lyra started.

She glanced over at Newt.

"I found the Glade after I was walking the maze for almost 5 months." Lyra continued.

Whispers and gasps could be heard from the others.

"Why did you come through the maze?" asked Winston.

"I don't know" Lyra replied glancing again at Newt.

She didn't want to tell the whole Glade the truth about. She didn't want to say that her parents created the maze trials the test those who were immune to a certain virus. She didn't want to say that she could survive a Griever attack because she survived a virus at 5 years old. She didn't want to say that her aunt put them all in there in the first place. Not yet anyway. She didn't have to tell Newt any of that though. She already had, when she showed him her ability all those years ago.

"Anyway what we found could be a way out." Thomas said pulling Lyra from her thoughts.

"It's true we opened a door something I have never seen before" Minho added, "I think it is where the Grievers go during the day."

"The truth is Thomas doesn't know what he has done, as usual." Gally pointed out.

Thomas turned around as was mere inches from Gally. The Gladers stopped and formed a crowd around Gally and Thomas.

"Well, at least I did something." Thomas pointed out, "What have you done? Aside from hid behind these walls all the time."

"Let me tell you something Greenie. You have been here 3 day. I have been here 3 years…" Gally retorted getting into Thomas' face.

"You have been here 3 years and you are still here." Thomas shot back

Teresa interrupted the argument, "It's Alby, he's awake."

Newt, Minho, Frypan, Lyra, Thomas, Teresa and Gally made their way to the medical hut.


	13. Disaster Strikes in Griever Form

Disaster Strikes in Griever Form

Alby was sitting up when the group entered the medical hut. Newt sat down next to Alby.

"Alby you alright?" Newt asked.

Alby just stared straight ahead, tears forming in his eyes. Lyra knew that look. Alby was remembering life before the maze trials. She endured many encounters with her memories squatted in front of Alby.

"Hey Alby, we might have just found a way out." Thomas stated, "We could be getting out of here."

"We can't" Alby spoke softly, "We can't leave. They would let us."

"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked.

"I remember." Alby stated louder.

The rest of the group shot each other glances. Newt looked to Lyra. Alby was not remembering rainbows and unicorns. WCKD was not that nice of a memory.

"What do you remember?" asked Thomas.

Lyra wished he hadn't asked, Thomas was probably not going to like the answer.

"You." Alby turned to Thomas and looked him in the eyes.

Lyra was going to have to tell everyone what was going on.

"You were always their favorite, next to Lyra of course." Alby continued.

"Why of course?" Newt asked

"Lyra's parents were involved." Alby answered.

Lyra could feel Frypan and Gally staring at her, but Lyra just kept her gaze at the back of Alby's head. There was a commotion outside.

"Why did you do this? Why did you come here?" Alby's voice rose as a tear rolled down his cheek.

All but Alby turned to the commotion. Newt, Minho, Frypan, Lyra, Thomas, Teresa and Gally exited the medical hut. The Gladers were running around, clearly panicked about something.

"Hey Winston, what is going on?" Thomas asked Winston.

"The door, they aren't closing" Winston replied running to help some Gladers.

The Gladers ran to the entrance of the maze. The sun had gone down and the stone doors were still opened. They crowded around the entrance.

"Give me two seconds." Lyra yelled as she sprinted forward into the maze.

She turned the corner and moved the ivy out of the way revealing her gloves and bow and arrows. She could hear the whining and creaking of metal that hasn't been used in years. The other doors must be opening. She rummaged through the ivy again, she felt what she was looking for. She pulled out a dagger and started running back the way she came. She could hear the Grievers behind her.

"Everybody hide." Thomas yelled as Lyra reentered the Glade.

Lyra ran trying to figure out how she would destroy all these Grievers. She decided to stand on the box. She clanged her bow against the metal.

"Hey over here." She yelled.

She had to get the timing right. A group of Grievers came running towards her. As they got a few inches from her she ducked down, lying on the ground next to the box She took out her knife. She started cutting at the exposed wires of the Griever. It had been a while since she had to do this. She crossed some of the wires and made a dash away. She heard the Griever short circuit and explode, showering the other Grievers in bits of scrap metal, killing many of them. The explosion showered her in Griever guts.

She ran towards Council Hall, catching up to Thomas, Clint, Teresa, Jeff and a few other Gladers. Grievers were chasing them. Alby tripped causing the Griever to catch up. Lyra pulled Alby and the rest of the group behind her. She drew back her bow and took a deep breath. She let go, sending the arrow soaring through the air and landing in the Griever's head just as a long wooden stake landed in the side of its head. Lyra turned, Newt, Frypan, and Minho came running toward them. Lyra held onto Newt's hand as they ran towards the hall. They all piled inside and closed the door right was a Griever was trying to chase them in. They all backed further into the hall as the Griever climbed onto the roof. Lyra looked down at herself, her glowing veins were visible. Other Gladers looked at her with some concern, but their focus was pulled when a Griever tail pulled the center support beam, causing the roof to collapse. Newt held onto Lyra as they were knocked down. The Gladers quickly got to their feet. Lyra helped pull some out from the fallen roof. A Griever tail grabbed a Glader and pulled him out of the hut. Thomas, Newt and Minho tried to hold onto the Glader, but they were too late. Lyra felt gutted, her friends were being killed by her own creations. A Griever tail broke a hole in the wall and went toward Chuck.

"Chuck" Thomas cried making his way toward Chuck.

Chuck tried to run from the tail, but it grabbed him. Chuck grabbed Thomas, Teresa, Minho, and Frypan. They all tried to pull Chuck back into the hut. Lyra pulled bow ready to strike but she couldn't get a good angle on the Griever. Alby came running up and started hitting the tail with a blunt machete. The tail let go of Chuck, but Alby kept hitting it, until in retracted from the hut.

"Thanks Alby" Chuck said breathless.

All of a sudden the tail came back in and grabbed Alby. Lyra and Thomas grabbed Alby's arm to prevent him from getting dragged away.

"Thomas, get them out." Alby order, "Lyra, keep them safe."

With that Alby was lifted out of the hut. The Gladers raced out of the hut, but there were no Grievers and no Alby. Just fires, a demolished Glade, and stillness. Tears started to stream down Lyra's face. Newt hugged her tightly. Shadows started to approach them. As the smokiness clear, Gally was storming towards them. Gally raised his fist and struck Thomas.

"This is all you Thomas, look around." Gally yelled

The other Gladers held Gally away from Thomas.

"Get back Gally, this is not Thomas' fault." Minho yelled

"You heard what Alby said. He is one of them." Gally yelled

"One of who?" A Glader asked

"He is one of them and he was sent to destroy everything." Gally yelled again.

Lyra started to feel a little light headed

 _Maybe it is just from the stress of the night_ she calmed herself.

She knew she was still glowing. Lyra turned to Thomas just in time to see him plunge the syringe from the Griever into his leg and collapse.

"Chuck grabbed the vile." Teresa instructed turning her head to Chuck.

Lyra's vision began to blur. She put her hand to her side. She removed her hand, her marbled blood mixed with the black liquid stained her palm.

"Newt" Lyra cried as she fell to the ground.

She could feel Newt's hands holding her head up.

"What happened" Gally asked rushing over.

"I got stung" Lyra replied.

"Get her to the medical cot...Now!" yelled Newt.

Lyra could feel the Gladers lifting her as her vision turned black.


	14. Lyra's Deeply Held Secret

Lyra's Deeply Held Secret

Lyra blinked as the bright light was flashed in her eyes.

"Her reflects are good, Mrs. Paige and Mr Paige. I don't think there is anything to worry about." A male doctor said.

Lyra looked to her brown haired, brown eyed mother and her blonde haired blue eyed father. They smiled at her, she smiled back. Lyra remembered this moment, she was 5 and had gotten a virus that was was killing many others.

After that moment she didn't see much of her mother or father after that. She did spend a lot of time doing puzzles, building and crafting, or trivia with her aunt Ava. Ava was she father's sister, from what she could understand.

When she was 10, the World Catastrophe Killzone Department was formed. Her aunt Ava was named director, her parents were financial backers and well as lead scientists. Other children were brought to the WCKD facility. Her parents made her run across a large spacious gymnasium. They wouldn't let her stop until her veins glowed. They would write somethings down in their notebooks.

At 12 her aunt Ava gave her an access card to the back offices, where her parents and other scientists worked at the facility. Her aunt wanted her to create a mechanical organism hybrid that would help people get the vaccines for the virus, which was named the Flare.

"We are really close to a cure, Lyra." Ava would tell her whenever Lyra asked about WCKD.

Lyra had made some friends in the facility, her closest friend was named Newt. They would often play tag or try and out quiz each other.

"You are a key to all of this" Her mother would often say.

"You and your gifts are special." Her father would often say.

When Lyra were 14 she was moved to another facility with many of her friends. However, she did have to say goodbye to a few other. She also had to comfort Newt, who was loosing some friends too during this move.

At 15 Lyra decided to figure out what her parents were planning with all their data. She snuck into their office and found blueprints of a maze. She looked over list of chemicals needed to make the Flare virus, she had also found a special list of ingredients to make the blue sweet liquid her parents were making her drink since she was 5. Lyra heard three voices out in the hall, two of which were her parents and another voice. Lyra couldn't really make out what they were saying, but then two gunshots rang out. Lyra waited a moment scared to move. When she finally calmed down and venture out into the hall she saw her parents dead. Her aunt Ava pulled her into an exam room while other WCKD workers lifted her parents' bodies away. Through the slits in the curtains Lyra could see Alby in another bed with some doctors. Ava injected something into Lyra and then had Lyra change into a white flowy blouse, black tank top, black leggings, shorts, and slip on shoes. Ava then led Lyra down a corridor and stopped at door in the wall. The door opened and Lyra was told to walk through it.

"Remember Lyra, WCKD is good." Ava said as Lyra entered.

Lyra turned to face her aunt.

"You are the cure, Lyra. You can save humanity. You are the reason this is happening." Ava said smiling.

The door closed. Lyra turned around. She walked on a long passageway, with a drop off on either side. She wondered around the structure. She would sleep under the ivy for warmth to start with, but then she slept there to hide from the Grievers, after she had been stung a few times. It took a little bit of time to realize she was in a maze. She came across her hideaway in the wall of the maze filled with bottles of the blue liquid, fingerless gloves, a knife, and bow and arrows shortly after venturing into the narrower part of the maze. She soon realized that she could explode the Grievers. She had made her 153th tick into her wall, that had a big red 7 on it, when she thought she had found her way out. She was shocked to find that she didn't escape, but in fact she was at the center of the maze. The center was habitable with 5 boys already there. Alby, George, Newt, Minho and Gally. She explained to them where she had come from, leaving parts out since it was clear to her that none of them recognized her or really understood what they were talking about.

Minho, George and her would run through the maze trying to see where she came from. They did that for a while when George was attacked by a Griever and had to be banished to the maze. As more and more boys came up from the box Alby pulled her aside and told her the Glade rules that only applied to her. It wasn't long after that did Newt and her fall in love. It was actually on the day that Newt was stung in the maze did they reveal their feelings for each other.

But deep down Lyra always knew this place was her place. She was the daughter of the maze. She was a way to find a cure. She was subject 0.

The sunlight was shining in when Lyra opened her eyes, bolted upright and leaned over the cot in the medical hut. She began to throw up the black runny tar like substance all over the ground. She looked around, Gally was standing at the end of the cot, Newt was sitting next to her. Other Gladers were gathered around her cot. As she threw up they were whispering and talking to each other.

Newt handed her some water, "Here, drink this for a change."

Lyra gulped the water down. Jeff and Clint came over and examined her.

"She looks normal" Clint said looking to Gally.

"I want to truth, all of it." Gally demanded.

"Excuse me… Who gives you the right." Lyra shot back.

"Newt did. I'm in charge now." Gally declared.

Lyra looked to Newt.

"He was going to kill you. I couldn't let that happen. You mean everything to me." Newt answered kissing Lyra on the forehead.

"Alright, I will tell you Gally. But only Gally." Lyra said looking to Gally.

The rest of the Gladers left the hut as Gally sat on her cot. Lyra began to talk about her abilities, her experiences and her story.

As she came to a close Gally had a question, "You broke Alby's rules from Newt. Why?"

"Because I love him." Lyra responded

"I see. Thank you. You have given me a lot to think about." Gally got up, leaving Lyra alone in the hut.

A few moments later Newt returned to her with her bow and arrows and told her about a plan of escape Thomas created.


	15. Escaping the Maze

Escaping the Maze

Lyra stood next to Newt, with her bow and quiver on her back, as some Gladers carried Thomas and Teresa over to wooden poles stuck into the ground. Thomas was unconscious, the Gladers carrying him, threw him to the ground.

"This is such a waste." Gally sighed

"Gally, it doesn't feel right man." Winston pointed out.

"What if Thomas is right?" Jeff piped up, "Maybe he can lead us home."

"We are home. Okay?" Gally stated walking toward Jeff and Winston. " I don't want to cross anymore names off that wall."

Lyra held Newt's hand.

"You really think banishing us is going to solve anything?" Teresa asked

"No." Gally said looking down, "But this isn't a banishing. It's an offering."

The Gladers holding Teresa started to tie her wrists to one of the poles.

"What...Wait!" Teresa pleaded, "Gally what are you doing?"

"Do you think I am going to let Thomas back into the maze after what he has done. Look around you. Look at our Glade. This is the only way." Gally explained.

Lyra, Newt, Minho, and Frypan exchanged glances.

"And when the Grievers get what they came here for, everything goes back to the way it was." Gally stated.

"Are you listening to this? Why are you all just standing there? He's crazy." Theresa pleaded.

"You shut up" Gally order Teresa.

Teresa didn't listen, "If you stay here, the Grievers are going to come back and they are gonna keep coming back until you are all dead."

"Shut up. Tie him up!" order Gally.

Some Gladers started to lift Thomas up. Thomas sprang to life knocking the Gladers down and grabbing a pointed stake. Newt swung his machete around, Minho held a knife to Gally to prevent Gally from interfering, Teresa kicked the Gladers who tied her up down, Frypan cut Teresa free, Chuck came running up with an arm full of supplies, Lyra stood between Gally and Thomas her bow pulled back ready to strike.

"You are full of surprises aren't you?" Gally sighed

"You don't have to come with us but we are leaving." Lyra said

"Anyone else who wants to come, now is your last chance." Thomas stated.

"Don't listen to him, he's just trying to scare you." Gally said to the rest of the Gladers.

"No, I'm not trying to scare you. You're already scared. I'm scared. But i'd rather risk my life out there, than spending the rest of it in here." Thomas spoke with such conviction, Lyra knew at that moment she would follow Thomas, or at least keep his opinion in mind.

"We don't belong here. This place isn't our home." Lyra pleaded with the Gladers, "We were put here. We were trapped here. At least out there we have a choice. We can make it out of here. I know that."

Winston, Jeff, and a few other Gladers joined Lyra, Thomas, Newt, Minho, Teresa, Chuck, and Frypan at the entrance of the maze.

"Gally, it's over." Thomas stated.

Lyra lowered her bow.

"Just come with us." Lyra pleaded.

"Good luck, against the Grievers" Gally replied.

Lyra ran to Gally and hugged him, "Goodbye my friend."

She ran back to the entrance of the maze, as Thomas's group ran into the maze.

It didn't take long for them to reach the long passageway, with a drop off on either side. They hid behind the wall by the entrance to the passageway.

Lyra looked around the corner. A Griever was standing where they needed to be. Lyra looked back to the group.

"Is it a Griever?" Chuck asked.

"Yeah" Lyra replied.

"You take this, Chuck" Minho said handing Chuck the silver cylindrical object, "And stay behind us."

"It's okay, Chuck, just stick with me." Teresa said putting her hair up.

"Once we are through, it will activate and the door with open." Thomas stated, "We stay close, we stick together, we get through this. We get out now or we die trying."

They all ran at the Griever, which started charging toward them. Lyra landed a few arrows in it. The group started to push the Griever over the edge. In the fighting, a few Gladers were thrown off the drop off. The silver cylindrical object went flying, Chuck and Teresa went after it. The group managed to get the Griever off the edge. When Lyra turned to see what Chuck was yelling about she saw tons a Grievers climb up onto the passageway. Chuck and Teresa ran past them as the rest of the group held off the Grievers. It wasn't long until Chuck and Teresa were in the circular hole and the group was back up towards them.

"Thomas, there is a code. 8 numbers." Teresa yelled.

Lyra heard Minho yell out some numbers. It was then that a realization hit Lyra like a ton of bricks. The numbers she mumbled to try a calm down was a code she had seen her aunt punch in to open the door that Lyra stepped through to enter the maze, her eidetic memory and the stress of the maze caused her to remember the code but not how she knew it.

"Two" She heard Minho yell.

She was pulled from her thoughts, when a Griever landed on Minho. Jeff stabbed the Griever in the head, causing it to move off of Minho. However, the Grievers swarmed Jeff, biting and stinging him.

"What is the sequence?" Chuck screamed

"Six...Four...Eight...Three." Lyra stated finishing the sequence.

Teresa pressed the last number. The walls that were up started to drop down squishing the Grievers. The circular door close in front of them. Sending darkness all around them. Lyra found Newt's hand and intertwined their fingers. Soon light flooded as the door behind them opened.


	16. Discovering WCKD

Discovering WCKD

The group entered into a large hallway. The light above them slowly came on illuminating the area. They looked to their left and right. Lyra lead the way to a door. EXIT stares back at them in green letters above the door.

"Seriously?" Frypan asked looking to the rest of the group.

Lyra slowly reached into her runner's backpack and pulled out an access card. She slid it into the card slot next to the door. The light turned green, Lyra pushed down on the handle and slowly opened the door. The door opened to a hallway lined with fallen ceiling lights, smoke, blinking lights and bodies with lab coats on. The group walked down the hallway carefully. Newt made sure Lyra stayed close to him. They looked to the right hand side of the wall, there was a window into an exam room, with two bodies covered. Lyra started to tear up as she looked at them. There was no doubt in her mind that those were the bodies of Alby and Ben. Newt gently grabbed her shoulder and pushed her with the rest of the group.

"You don't need to see that." Newt whispered in her ear.

She knew he was right. As they got closer to a large room, Lyra noticed more bodies on the ground. Not just for lab people anymore, but also of pain clothed combatants. Minho had pushed a gun away from one of the dead combatants.

"What happened here?" Winston asked.

No one, not even Lyra, could answer that question. They entered a large room with computer glass and chairs.

 _This must be the control room_ , Lyra thought as she walked around the room.

Newt and Frypan went to some of the computer screens and examined them.

"So they were watching us. This whole time." Newt said looking at a feed of the Glade.

Lyra traced her fingers along the tabletops looking at the screens, until she felt something bump her fingers. She looked down, on the tabletop was a brown leather bound notebook. Lyra picked it up and examined it. ARTHUR PAIGE was written in gold letters on the bottom on the cover. Lyra put it in her pack and joined the other by a large screen. Her aunt's face was on the screen.

"Hello. My name is doctor Ava Paige. I am director of operations of the World Catastrophe Killzone Department." The recording of Lyra's aunt spoke.

Lyra felt a ping of betrayal as she watched. Newt slipped his hand into hers and intertwined their fingers.

"If you're watching this, that means you have successfully completed the maze trials." The recording continued, "I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you, especially you my wonderful talented niece Lyra. But circumstances seems to have prevented it. I am sure by now, you must all be very confused, angry, frightened. I can only assure you that everything that's happened to you, everything we've done to you, it was all done for a reason."

While Ava was talking, behind her scientist were moving around with paper. They were moving like they were in a hurry. The recording changed to new feeds, pictures, other lab work about the Flare.

"You won't remember, but the Sun has scorched our world." Ava's voice continued over the images, "Billions of lives lost to fire, famine, suffering on a global scale. The fallout was unimaginable. What came after was worse. We called it the Flare. A deadly virus that attacks the brain. It is violent, unpredictable, incurable."

The recording went back to Ava sitting in a chair while a commotion occured the the lab behind her, " Or so we thought. Until Lyra survived the Flare at 5 years old. Her parents and I realized that a new generation emerged that could survive the virus. Suddenly, there was a reason to hope for a cure. But finding it would not be easy. The young would have to be tested, even sacrificed, inside harsh environments, where their brain activity could be studied. All in an effort to understand what made them different, what made Lyra's veins glow a glittery blue, what makes you different. You may not realize it, but you're very important. Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun. As you'll no doubt soon discover, not everyone agrees with our methods."

Combatants stormed the lab and started shooting at the scientist behind Ava as she continued to speak, "Progress is slow, people are scared. It may be too late for us, for me, but not for you. The outside world awaits. Remember WCKD is good."

With that Ava shot herself in the head. Lyra turned away into Newt's chest. She just lost her whole family. Thomas walked over to body on the floor, that looked like it could be Ava's. Heavy metal doors opened to their right. Sunlight appeared at the end of the hallway. The group turned to walk out.

"Is it over?" Chuck asked looking to Thomas.

"She said we were important." Newt said looking to Lyra, "What are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know." Thomas replied.

"Let's get out of here." Lyra stated taking a step toward the sunlight.

"No." Gally yelled from behind them.

The group turned around. Gally looked roughed up, with scratches on his face and hands. He was holding a gun and the silver cylindrical object.

"Gally." Thomas said a hint of relief in his voice,

"Don't" Teresa said as she stopped Thomas going to Gally, "He's been stung."

Gally dropped the silver cylindrical object on the ground.

"We can't leave." Gally stated his hand still holding the gun shaking.

"We did. Gally, we're out." Thomas replied slowly, "We're free."

Lyra was staring at the gun.

"Free?" Gally said, "You think we're free out there? No. There is not escape from this place."

Gally raised his gun and pointed it at Thomas.

"Gally listen to me. Don't do this." Lyra pleaded tears swelling up in her eyes.

"Gally, you're not thinking straight." Thomas said slowly, his hands raised, "You're not. Now we can help you. Just put down the gun."

Lyra felt Minho moving slowly behind her.

"I belong to the maze." Gally said still pointing the gun.

"Just put down the gun." Lyra pleaded again.

"We all do" Gally stated.

Chuck lunged in front of Thomas, Newt pulled Lyra closer to him, as Minho threw a stake at Gally piercing Gally in the chest. There was a long bang, the same bang that Lyra heard the day her parents were killed. Gally wheezed and gasped for air as he fell to the ground, he laid there not moving.

Chuck started to make a funny breathing sound.

"Thomas" Chuck said weakly.

Chuck's shirt was stained red. Chuck started to fall, but was caught by Thomas. Thomas slowly helped Chuck to the ground. Chuck lay there, bleeding out. Lyra started crying, _Two more friends killed because of WCKD_.

"Look at me, look at me!" Thomas pleaded.

Lyra knew what Thomas was feeling all too well.

"Chuck, look at me, all right? I got you buddy. Just hang on." Thomas said through tears.

Chuck tried to give Thomas something, but Thomas won't accept it.

"No, Chuck. You are going to give it to them yourself." Thomas said hopefully, "Remember I told you that."

Chuck forced Thomas to accept the object.

"Thank you... Thank you." Chuck said slowly.

He repeated those words until he gasped his last breath. Chuck had died in Thomas's arms.

Thomas tried shaking Chuck awake, but Lyra knew that wouldn't work. Newt held on to Lyra as she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. Thomas started sobbing as he realized Chuck wasn't waking up. The next thing that Lyra knew she was being dragged by people, dressed in black, into a helicopter. The group piled in and the pilot look off.

"You guys all right. Don't worry you are safe now." One of the men in black said.

The group was in awe as the helicopter flew around the maze, showing its vastness and complexity.

Lyra just stared out the window. _How could her aunt do that to her, without an explanation? Why would her aunt kill herself? What happened to her parents? Was it really over?_

Lyra's head swarmed with questions. She rested her head on Newt's shoulder as Newt wrapped his arm around her.

Lyra had a funny feeling that she would see you aunt again. Lyra felt that whatever they were apart of wasn't over or anywhere close to being finished. She would still have to fight WCKD.


End file.
